An Unexpected Hero in Boston Relief Efforts: the Reddit Website

The power of social media was revealed on Reddit when regulars there rallied to provide aid to victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. Overnight, heroes were recognized and thousands donated everything from pizzas to places to take a hot shower or just recharge a cellphone.

Reddit provided a forum to coordinate aid for victims including food, transportation and housing. Users of the popular website offered hundreds of thousands of frequent flyer miles for those who needed to leave Boston and to victims’ family members who needed a flight into the city.